Talking-machine repeater



July 8 1924.

' 1,500,495 w. H. um

TALKING MACHINE nsi m'rsa Filed March 2. 1922 Ma 2% jz uik Patented July 8, 1924.

stares WALTER I-I. HUTI-I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TALKING-MACPIINE R-EPEATER.

Application filed March 2,, 1922. Serial No. 540,441.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER H. HUI-H, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Talking-Machine Repeaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to talking machine repeaters of that kind in which the device is operated by frictional contact with the record, and is released by the needle or stylus as soon as the playing of the record is finished, whereby the device is then free to turn around and lift the reproducer and return it tothe starting point of the record.

Generally stated, the object of the invention. is to provide a novel and improved talking machine repeater of the foregoing character, having certain novel features and details of construction whereby the device will operate more satisfactorily than heretofore and will be practicable to manufacture, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

To these and other usefulends the inventic-11 consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a plan of a talking machine repeater embodying the principles of the invention, showing the same in. place on the disc record of the phonograph or talking machine, and showing the reproducer of the machine in position for playing the record. Figure 2 is a detail section on line 22 in Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a view of the end side of a portion of the said repeating device.

Figure 4 is an edge view of the part shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is. a transverse section on line 55 in Figure 3.

the device.

As thus illustrated, the invention. comprises a body formed from a single piece of sheet metal, said body comprising the portion 1 having upturned flanges 2 and 3 at each side thereof, and the narrow portion 4 having a rubber bushing 5 which fits over the center post 6 of the turntable 7 of the talking machine, whereby the repeating device is adapted to rest on top of the record 8 which is flat and of ordinary disc form. The portion a has the said flange 2 on a portion thereof, as shown. It will be seen that the flange 2 extends around and along Figure 6 is'a detail view of a portion of where it terminates at its rear end adjacent the operative position. of the r'eproducer 13 of the talking machine. Thus a large and elongated opening is formed between the narrow portion 4 and the flange 2, thus reducing weight, and whereby the repeater has a skeleton like form. The flange 3 is integral with the horizontal flat portion let which is provided with a knob 15 having its lower end provided with a pointed foot 16 disposed in position to rest on the outer edge portion of the record, this foot being preferably a peg of rubber vulcanite or of fiber or some other material which will ride on the smooth outer surface of the record in the desired manner. The flat portion 14 ex tends along and terminates in the end portion 17 which has an inturned integral portion 18 disposed in a horizontal plane, and a sheet metal slide 19 is provi ed with guides 20 which engage the parallel edges of the portion 18, so as to slide endwise thereon. This slide carries on its upper surface a plate 21 of soft rubber or other similar material against the edge of which the stylus 22 of the reproducer rests and travels slowly along toward the center post 6 during the playing of the record. When the needle or stylus slips ofl' at the corner 23, as it ultimately will, the device constituting the repeater is then whirled around with the record until the edge 24 thereof strikes the needle or stylus and the latter is then lifted and caused to travel between the flanges 2 and 3 until the point of the needle slips off at the edge 25, and when this occurs the needle or stylus is again where it started and in position to play the record again. The portion 18 has a notch 26 in one edge thereof and a small spring 27 is placed therein to bear against the inner surface of one of the guides 20, thereby to provide the friction necessary or desirable to hold the slide 19 in adjusted position, depending upon the width of the surface covered by the grooves of the record. The end 28 of one guide 20 engages in the corner or angle 29 of the portion 18 to limit the sliding movement of the slide 19 in one direction,

. and the inwardly bent portion at the end of the other guide 20 will engage the shoulder 31 formed in one edge of the portion 18 to limit the movement of said slide in the opposite direction. A felt pad 32, or other suitable material, secured to the bottom of the portion 17, rests upon the outer smooth marginal portion of the record, and a similar pad 33 on the bottom of the portion adjacent the edge 24; rests on the record to support the device at this point, whereby sufficient frictional contact is provided between the record and the repeating device to carry the latter around when released by the stylus or needle of the reproducer. The soft rubber 21, or other suitable non-resonant material, does not interfere with thevibration of the needle or stylus 22, and does not communicate said vibrations. to the sheet metal repeating device, whereby the repeater is held in normal position by engage- 'ment with the needle or stylus but does not interfere with the proper action of the latter. Of course, the slide may have any suitable means for engaging the needle or stylus,

if desired. The width of the area covered by the grooves in the record varies, some What, on different records, but by means of the slide 19 the device is adjustable for different records, in a manner that will be readily understood, the entire means against which the'needle or stylus bears being adjustable toward and away from the center of the record to ensure a release of the needle or stylus at the proper time as soon as the playing of the record is finished. The wide mouth of the single cam groove is substantially or approximately diametrically ops posite the means 21 for engaging the needle, and; the wide mouth and the other end of the cam groove are also substantially and diametrically opposite. The sheet metal from which the body of the device is made is preferably hardened steel, or-some similar metal or material, and is of such character that a hard and highly polished surface is provided on the upper surface thereof over which the point of the needle or stylus may travel without scratching. In other words, the sharp point of the needle or stylus will slide smoothly without scratching the device, and'without injuringthe point of the needle, when the device is whirled around by the rotation of the record, and a glassy surface, so to speak, is provided over which the point of the needle may slide practically without friction in order not to catch and hold" the repeater against turning around in the required manner. 1f the upper surface of the. repeater were In other words,

device would not serve. the desired purpose in a satisfactory manner, as a tendency toward scratching would obviously interfere. The entire weight of the reproducer, of course, is supported by the point of the needle orstylus 22 on the hard and polished upper surface of the sheet metal reproducer, and the only point of connection between the repeater and the reproducer, at all times, is at the point of engagement between the needle and the reproducer. This engagement alternates, of course, between the engagement of the needle alon the edge of the rubber strip 21 and the s iding engagement of this point over the smooth and highly polished, and practically glassy, upper surface of the reproduce-r. the exception of a. few parts, therefore, the entire reproducer is formed from sheet metal pressedby dies, or in any other With 7 suitable manner, into the desired; shape. 7

With this construction it is practicable to manufacture the repeater by simple-shop methods, at a comparatively minimum cost of production. V

It will be. seen that the bottom of the groove 10. is flat and is sufficiently wide throughout its length to permit lateral movement of the, needle thereon at any point along the length of the. groove. Inthis way, therefore, the point of the needle does not follow a beaten path, so to speak, but can always, follow a new path, thus avoiding the danger of cutting a groove in, the repeater, and avoiding the danger of dulling the needle. In other words, the sharp point of the needle always travels on a smooth and glassysurface which it does not scratch 16 is so far from the center post 7) that even this slight friction is sufficient towhirl the repeater around in the desired manner. In-

asmuch as. the repeater is practically all at one side of a line extending from the mouth of the shallow groove 10; to the discharge endthereof, or a line thus intersecting the axis of the repeater, it followsthat the re peater will be given a half turn and will acquire some momentum bfore the ,mouth of the groove strikes the needleor stylus 22,

thus ensuring enough speed to carry the re peater around inthe desired manner. Furthermore, the slight friction existing between therepeater. andthe record, when thus applied at the outer edge of the repeater,

is suflicient to carry the repeater around underthe needle becauSe the latter slides so easily on the glassy flat bottom of the groove 10 upon which the needle is always free to move laterally. Although formed of sheet metal'of uniform thickness, pressed into the desired shape, it will be seen that the repeater is rigidand stiff, inasmuch as the flanges 2 and 3 serve as stiffening means to prevent flexibility, and to thus ensure that the repeater will be maintained .in a perfectly flat condition. The metal of the repeater is not adaptedto engage the record, and hence non-metallic means are provided for this purpose, as described.

As the hard and glassy surface of the shallow groove 10 is horizontal, and is consider- I ably wider than the needle throughout its length, it follows that the point of the needle is always free vto move sidewise thereon, so that identically the same path is not followed each time by the needle in returning to the starting point. Moreover, inasmuch as this shallow groove begins and:terminates practically on a line intersecting the axis of the repeater, it follows that the repeater not only acquires considerable momentum before it strikes the needle, but also the extentof travel of the needle on the glassy surface of the repeater is minimized, thus further ensuring against stoppage of the machine by contact of the needle with the repeater. As previously stated, to obtain the hard and glassy surface hardened steel is .employed, which may be produced in vasuitable or desired materials.

rious well'known ways, suchas by case'hardening, but it is obvious that, for the broader purposes of the invention, the hard and glassy surface can be produced in any suitable or desired manner, by the use of any Being glassy in character,as stated, the surface is not only smooth and highly polished, but is also so hard, of course, that the needles commonly employed cannot scratch the surface, and because of this and the smoothness of the surface the needle will not be dulled or in jured by its sliding contact withsaid sur face. i

The action of the steel needle on the record results, of course, in gradually wearing away the point of the needle, so that in some cases it becomes possessed of a chisel edge, or other ragged edge, or sharp corners, and this is true of somezother needles which are commonly used for repeat purposes. However, as the point of the needle slides on a hardened steel, it takes very little power to rotate the repeater, or practically the mini mum of power, and it is found that the con tact of the needleat its point with a hard and glassy surface reduces the amount of the repeater under the needle or stylus, when the point of the latter drags on the repeater, as it does in this case, but also to minimize the power necessary to rotate the record under the repeater while the latter is stationary. Therefore, as shown and described, the contact between the repeater and the record is, by the means 5, 16, 33 and 32, reduced practically to a minimum, or just enough to overcome the friction between the needle or stylus and the upper. surface of the repeater. When the repeater is stationary, the record rotates smoothly under the repeater, with a minimum of additional load on the motor of the machine, and when the repeater rotates with the record the hard and glassy surface of the repeater functions to advantage in several ways, to-wit First, the point of the needle or stylus, even though made of steel, passes almost without friction over the hard and glassy surface, just as the point of an ordinary sewing needle or other sharp point may be rubbed over a polished sheet of glass, thereby to permit rotation of the repeater, notwithstanding the slight frictional contact that the repeater has with the record; second, the needle, although made of steel, does not scratch the repeater, and is not compelled to follow the samepath each time, but may find a different path each time it passes over the repeater, for everywhere the point of the needle has freedom of lateral movement while traveling across the repeater; third, the repeater, although hard and glassy and even though harder than the needle, does not dull the needle, for while the hardness of the repeater prevents it from being scratched, the polished or glassy surface of the repeater, on the other hand prevents dulling of the needle; and, while the hard and glassy surface could be obtained by using glass itself, it is obvious that something less breakable is desirable, and hence it is preferable to combine the hard and glassy surface with the flexibility and strength of sheet metal, not only to provide an article which is strong and not breakable, but which is also (susceptible of production by simple methods of manufacture to provide an article which is rigid and substantial, not liable to injure therecord or the needle, and yet comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. The pointed lower end of the peg 15 and 16 engages the smooth outer surface of the record with little or no friction, practically, and co-operates with the lower end of the bushing 5 to non-yieldingly support the repeater very close-to but nevertheless just out of contact with the record. The pieces of felt or other material 32 and 38 engage the repeater with a minimum of friction, and with very little pressure, and merely prevent the two metal ends of the repeater from sagging or tilting vdown against the record, so that the repeater although made from sheet metal has nometallic contact with the record.

Being made of metal, the repeater has some weight and it acquires considerable momentum before itsedge 24 strikes the needle or stylus, and here again the necessity for any extensive frictional surface between the record and the repeater is obviated, as the headway gained by the repeater when released by the needle is very nearly, if not quite, sufficient to carry its hard and glassy surface around under the point of the needle.

In Figure 1, it will be seen that line 22 divides the repeater into end portions of unequal Weight, as the wide mouth of the groove 10 and the adjacent portions are heavier'than the other'end of this'groovc and adjacent portions. Inother words, there is much more metal belowthe line 22, than there is. above this line, in Figure 1, so that the repeater is heavier at 33 than it is at 32, and the repeater tends to tilt downward at 33 when supported by the bushing 5 and the peg 16 on the upper surface of the disc record. As shown clearly in Figure 2, the portion 14 is a greater dis tance above the record than is'the bottom 10 of the groove, and it will be seen that the portion 17 is in the same horizonta'l plane as the portion 14, so that the under surface of the portion 17 is a greater distance above the record than is the lower surface at the other end where the pad 33 is attached. As shown clearly in Figure 1, the thickness of the soft pad 32' is much less than the vertical depth and thickness of the space between the portion 17 and the top surface of the record. Therefore, when the repeater is not engaged by the needle 22', the tendency is for the pad 33 to rest on the groove of the record, while the pad 32 is somewhat higher and out of engagement with the smooth outer rim portion of the record. However, when the needle 22 bears against the soft edge of the strip- 21, there is'a tendency then to tilt the portion 17 of the repeater downward, so that the pad 33 is slightly lifted, it being evident that the post 6 cannot have such a tight fit in the bushing 5 as would preclude the slight V tilting of the repeater about the line 2-2' as an axis, in the manner stated. When the needle 22 releases the repeater, the greater weight of the metal below the line 2-2 causes the wide mouth portion of the needle groove to have a tendency to tilt downward until the pad 33 bears with sufficient friction against the grooves of the record to whirl the repeater around until the edge 24: strikes the needle. Very little friction is required between the pad 33' and the rec-- 0rd to do this, inasmuch as the friction between the hard peg 16 and the smooth surface of the record, while as little as? possible,

is barely sufficient to rotate the repeater when the latter is free, and being of some weight, the repeater would strike the needle 22 with considerable momentum, but the pad 33 will bear downward a little harder as soon as the needle rises over the edge 24 and rests with the weight of the reproducer 13 on the repeater. At such time, the weight of the reproducer is carried by the repeater, and thepad 33 ensures sufficient friction to propel or rotate the repeater under its load Weight. lVhen the needle is close to the small end of the groove, and when it engages the strip 21, the tendencythen, as stated, is to slightly raise the pad 33, and the pad 32 will-only engage the record in the event that the depression of the portion 17 is sulficient, and the pad 32' will act as a cushion to prevent the metallic portion" 17 from striking "the record. WVhile the record is being played, the tendency is, therefore, for the pad 33 to rise a little, and forthe' pad 32 to bear only very slightly, if at all, against the smooth outer surface of the record, so that at such time the weight of the repeater is carried practically entirely by the bushing 5 and the peg 16, andinasmuch as the elements 5' and 16 are hard and engage only the polished" smooth surfaces of the record, it follows that there is only a minimum of friction between the repeater and the record whilethe record is being played.

Therefore, it is not only true that contact of the repeater with the record is reduced in area, and practically to a minimum,-but it is also true that the coefficient of friction of the materials from which the bushings 5 and the peg16 are made is less than the coeflicient of friction'of felt or cloth orother soft material from which the pads. 32 and 33 are made,so that the friction between the repeater. and the recordis in fact practically reducedv to a minimum. The friction between thepoint ofv the needle and the upper surface of the repeater, however, is even less, as explained, and the consequence is that the very slight friction between the record and the repeater, especially when augmented? by the added friction ofthe pad 33 against the grooved surface of the record, is just sufficient to rotate the repeater under: the weight of'theneedle-and the reproducer',.without adding: but very little to the load. imposed on the motor ,of the machine. For example, where softmaterialis used. for a repeater, of such character that thefsharp point of a steel needle will even very slightly scratch the top surface of the repeater, much more friction is then required between the repeaterand the record, and the result is not only an added load on the motor, but also'thefurther objection that WVith the construction shown'and described, however, the repeater when released by the needle starts to rotate rather gradually, and being of some weight acquires some momentum, but the friction between the record and the repeater is so slight that the repeater does not strike the needle with too much force, but rather gently and with just enough momentum and propelling power to elevate the needle and to allow the point of the latter to then slide practically without friction over the glassy surface of the repeater until the needle drops off and again engages the soft edge of the strip 21 in the manner described.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a repeater for talking machines, in combination, a body having retainingmeans to engage the stylus or needle of the machine during the playing of the record, to retain the repeater against rotation, and having guiding means to return the needle or stylus to starting point on the record, supporting means on said body to engage the cente r'postof the turntable of the machine, supporting means on said body to engage the smooth outer surface of the record, with the greater portion of the weight of said repeater at one side of a radial line intersecting the points of contact of said two supporting means on the record, so that the mouth of said guiding means at one side of said line tends to tilt downward about an axis approximating said radial line, while said retaining means at the other side of said line tends to tilt upward, and engaging means on said body to bear against the record at opposite sides of said radial line, the engagement of the stylus or needle with said retaining means tendingto tilt this lighter end of the repeater downward, whereby during playing of the record the weight of the repeater is mostly if not entirely on said supporting means and pressure of said engaging means is reduced on the record, the bottom of said guiding means being hard and glassy and of suflicient width to' provide a different path each time forthe point of the needle, thereby to-minimize the friction between the Iieedleand the repeater, and thereby to enable said support ing and engaging means to function with as little friction as possible.

2. In a talking machine repeater, the 00111 bination of a metal support having means thereon for engaging the needle or stylus. of the machine, to hold the repeater in normal position while the record is being played, said engaging means having a soft edge in position for preventing contact of the needle with the metal support, and means to auto matically return the needle to the starting point when it is released from the yielding edge of said means.

8. Ina talking machinerepeater, a sheet metal body formed to engage and return the non-metallic means to support the repeater by restricted or small spot engagement on the smooth outer marginal portion of the record, co-operating with said bushing to prevent the metal body from directly engaging either said post or the record, with so little friction that the record rotates freely under the repeater, but ensuring just enough friction between the record and said body to rotate the repeater when released by the needle, and other non-metallic means to ensure sufficient friction to rotate the repeater under the weight of said needle.

4:. A structure as specified in claim 3, said last mentioned non-metallic means being disposed at a single point on the bottom of said body to engage the grooves of the record.

5. A structure as specified in claim 3, said non-metallic substance and means being disposed at' the three corners of a triangle, forming three small and widely separated points of contact with the record.

6. In a talking machine repeater, the combination of a body adapted to return the needle of the machine with a minimum of friction to starting point on the record, by each time permitting the point of the needle to find a different path of travel thereon, and means to support the repeater by restricted engagement at a small point traveling on the smooth outer marginal portion of the record,

to provide practically only a minimum engagement with said surface, adapted to reduce friction to the minimum-necessary to prevent slowing of the record under the repeater, but just sufficient to rotate the repeater when released by the needle.

7. In atalking machine repeater, a rigid sheet metal body formed from a flat horizontal section of sheet. metal of uniformthickness and having the edges thereof bent upward to form stiffening means and to form a single wide mouthed and gradually narrowing cam groove to return the needle of the machine to starting point 011 the record, so that the edges of the groove form the inner and outer edges of said body, with the bottom' of said groove formed with a fiat surfaceadapted to engage the point of the needle, so that the needle may each time follow a different path thereon, and means adjacent the terminal of said groove to engage the needle to hold the repeater against rotation until after the record is played.

8. A structure as specified in claim 7, one of said edges being bent over horizontally and extended outward in a plane above the bottom' of said groove and provided with supporting means forming a small spot on the bottom of the repeater to engage the smooth outer marginal surface of the record.

9. A structure as specified in claim 7 in combination with means forming a small spot on the bottom of the repeater at the mouth and also at the terminal of said groove to support said body on the record with the minimum of friction necessary to rotate the repeater and permit the point of thev needle to slide freely on the bot-tom'of said groove and to prevent slowing of the record under the repeater.

10. In a repeater for talking machines, a oneepiece rigid body formed from hard sheet metal of uniform thickness extending in a horizontal plane having the inner and outer edges thereof turned up to form flanges having a shallow groove between them with a hard glassy flat bottom upon which the point of the needle may slide freely and find a different path of travel each time while being returned automatically to the starting point by the rotation of the repeater on the record, having means to engage the needle to hold the repeater against rotation during the playing of the record.

11. A structure as specified in claim 10, all of said repeater being practically at one side of a line intersecting the axis thereof,

thereby to minimize the extent of travel of the point of the needle on said bottom, and to ensure suflicient momentum of the repeater before striking the needle.

12. A structure as specified in claim 10, having a narow supporting portion which connects the mouth of said groove with the discharge end thereof and whichhas means to engage the center post of the machine, with an enlongated opening between said post engaging portion and one edge of said groove so that said groove is spaced by said opening from the axis of the repeater.

13. A structure as specified in claim 10 said groove formed by said flanges being wide enough throughout the length thereof to permit some freedom of lateral movement of the point of the needle on said bottom.

14. A repeater for talking machines, comprising means for engaging the needle or stylus of the machine to hold the repeater against rotation during the playing of a record, and sheet material to provide a groove for guiding the needle back to starting point, said material being hard steel to provide a glassy surface for the point of the needle to slide on, and having bent portions to form said groove and also render the repeater stiff and rigid. Y

15. A repeater for talking machines, comprising a body of sheet material formed to provide'a return groove with a bottom for the point of the needle of i the machine to extending flat arm adjacent the rear end of said groove, and a flat slide overlying and superposed on said armto slide endwise thereon to in effect extend the length of said arm and formed with an edge to engage said needle.

16. A structure as specified in claim 15,

said flat movable slide having a flat strip of rubber secured thereon to form a yielding edge to engage the needle. i

17. In a talking machine repeater, a flat body of sheet material formed with a channel member having its inner and outer edges turned up to form flanges, providing a shallow trough for guiding the needle of the machine back' to starting point, with a fiat horizontal bottom for the point of the needle to slide upon, means to engage the needle to hold the repeater against rotation during the playing of the record, integral means having one of said flanges thereon and extending from the mouth of said memher to the rear end thereof to engage the center post of the machine, with an opening between said member and said integral" means, and meansto support saidbody on the record. I

18. A structure as specified in claim 17,

said body and integral means comprising a single piece of hardened sheet metal to provide said bottom with a hard and glassy surface for the point of the needle.

19. A structure as specified in claim' 17, said trough forming a gradually tapering shallow groove which is wide enough everywhere to permit some freedom of lateral movement of the, point of the needle on said bottom.

20. In a repeater for talking machines,

in combination, a body having retaining means to engage the stylus or needle of the machine during the playing of the' record, to retain the repeater against rotation, and having guiding means to return theneedle or stylus to starting point on the record, supporting means on said body to engage the center post of the turntable of-qthe machine, supporting means on said body to engage the smooth outer surface of the record, with the greater portion of the weight of said repeater at one .side of a radial line intersecting the points of contact ofsaid two supporting means on the record, so that the mouth of-said guiding means at one side of said line tends to tilt downward about an axis approximating said radial line, while said retaining means at the other side of said line tends to tilt upward, and engaging means on said body to bear against the record at opposite sides'of said radial line, the engagement of the stylus or needle with said retaining. means tending to tilt this "lighter end of the repeater downward, whereby duringfplayingof the record the weight of the repeater is mostly it not entirely on said supporting means and pressure of said engaging'means is reduced on the record.

21. A structure as specified in claim 20, said supporting means being of relatively hard material, and said engaging means being of relatively soft material, so that said supporting means are non-yielding 10 While said engaging means have a yielding contact with the record, and the greater pressure of the heavier end of said repeater on the record When released by said retaining means increasing the friction to rotate the repeater under the needle until the point of the latter crosses said line, and whereby after the needle has crossed said line the friction between the repeater and the record is reduced to a minimum.

WALTER H. HUTH. 

